Methods and systems for identifying leaks in the filter bags of baghouse filter systems have been described. These known methods and systems have encountered significant issues in accurately identifying filter bag leaks and, thus, are often unreliable. In general, these known methods and systems operate by sensing increased air flow through individual baghouse filter bags, as this condition can be indicative of a leak in the bag fabric. If a leak in the filter bag fabric is correctly identified, the leaking filter bag may be closed off to prevent leakage of unfiltered air with pollutants into the atmosphere.
As stated, though, significant issues exist that prevent the reliable use of increased air flow through a filter bag as the primary leak predictor. For example, under normal conditions the flow of air through baghouse filtering systems creates zones of turbulence, eddies, laminar flow, calm and other flow conditions that change in unpredictable patterns as the volume of air moving through the baghouse filtering system is altered. At a certain volume a particular filter bag may display a high flow rate through it, while an increase in the overall volume through the baghouse filter system might actually decrease the flow rate through that particular filter bag. Further, the changing or cleaning of the filter bags may modify the flow patterns within the baghouse chamber. These unpredictable flow patterns make it difficult to detect those changes in flow rate that are caused by a filter bag leak. This, of course, hinders the ability to use flow volume characteristics to predict reliably baghouse filter leaks.
As a result, filter bags may be identified as leaking that are not, or baghouse filters that are leaking may be missed. Further, these characteristics make it very difficult to detect minor leaks. This may lead to inefficiencies in operating and maintaining the baghouse filter chamber as well as the unnecessary release of pollutants into the atmosphere. Thus, there is a long felt need for improved methods and systems for determining when a baghouse filter is leaking.